COMPARISON OF THE BODY IMAGES BETWEEN JAPANESE AND CAUCASIAN FEMALE STUDENTS / 体力科学

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to compare the self-estimation and ideal figure of one's body between Japanese and Caucasian female students. A questionnaire was employed to examine three areas of inquiry Language, Numerical value, and Model figure. The subjects were chosen from the following sources Fifty seven Japanese female students (JF-group BMI 20.9±1.9 kg/m<SUP>2</SUP>) and 53 male students (JM-group 21.4±3.0kg/m<SUP>2</SUP>), and 28 Caucasian female students (CF-group 23.1±3.3 kg/m<SUP>2</SUP>) and 26 male students (CM-group 22.7±3.2 kg/m<SUP>2</SUP>) . The proportion of those who consi dered themselves as“fat”were as follows JF-group at 75.4% and CF-group at 32.1% (X<SUP>2</SUP>=16.182, p<0.01) . The proportion of subjects considering the ideal figure as“slim”were as follows JF-group at 91.2% and CF-group at 46.4% (X<SUP>2</SUP>=28.973, p<0.001) . However many subjects in the JM-group and CM-group selected“slightly slim”or“average”as the ideal figure for a woman. From BMI analysis, which calculates ideal body weight with the subjects' actual standing height, it was discovered that the JF-group averaged 18.7±1.3 kg/m<SUP>2</SUP>. This was a significantly lower level than 20.6±1.7 kg/m<SUB>2</SUB> for the CF-group (p<0.001) . The value for the JF-group was almost the same as the JM-group (18.9±1.3kg/m<SUP>2</SUP>) . There was no difference in the BMI of the selected model as each group's physical self-perception, although there was significant difference between the actual body figure of the JF-group and CF-group. Using the BMI of the selected model as the ideal figure, the JF-group and CF-group averaged 18.4±1.1 kg/m and 19.6±1.5kg/m<SUP>2</SUP> (p<0.01) . After controll ing for the actual BMI of the JF-group (BMI≥22.0 kg/m<SUP>2</SUP>) and CF-group, these tendencies did not change. Based on these findings, it was concluded that Japanese female students consider themselves far fatter than they actually are, and expressed a wish to become slimmer despite already being slim. Also, there are differences between females and males as to their images of the ideal body figure. Male students prefer fatter women than what Japanese female students imagine is the ideal figure.